“War” for gold at Mazoe mine
EIGHT MINERS were reported dead in Mazoe at Jumbo mine owned by Metallon Corporation after detonating explosives in a shaft they were illegally working. Metallon has been forced to put its mines under care and maintenance because of the unsustainable costs of running them without proper compensation for its proceeds from the government according to Mzi Khumalo.
However, reports have it that illegal miners are coming from Kwekwe and Shurungwi to control gold and shafts at the Mazoe mine which is heavily guarded by the police.
Therefore, there is a war to control illegal gold mining activities in Mazoe mine shafts with some police officials reportedly leading the way.
According to locals who spoke to Mining Zimbabwe, the police are running a syndicate which they are allowing miners to enter into the shafts at a tollgate fee.
“Miners who mine in the tunnels at Jumbo mine pay USD100 to enter the shafts and then another USD130 to come out of the mines,” they said.
When Mining Zimbabwe attempted to take pictures at one of the entries into the shafts, the Police threatened to tear gas the team.
“We will throw teargases at you if you attempt to take pictures here,” said one police sergeant.
Artisanal miners popularly known as “Mashurungwi” are fingered to be the terrorising other local illegal miners in quest of instilling fear and controlling goldfields in the underground tunnels.
“Those coming from Midlands are the ones causing problems, they want to have total control in the mines and they are also controlling ‘tollgates’ at which they are robbing miners of their gold,” said one local miner.
Yesterday the police harassed farm workers who work at Mahachi’s farm, looting their food and bringing down some structures belonging to the farm workers under the motive that they were looking for illegal miners who had found refuge at the farm resident.
According to the farm’s manager called Teddy, the police were identified breaking into the houses and looting and eating worker’s food.
“The Police are the ones who forced themselves into the houses without any search warrants, breaking down properties,” said Teddy.
According to Metallon gold’s Mazowe Mine General Manager Mr. Stanley Matanhire, the heavy police presence in the area was a cleanup campaign to remove illegal miners from operating in the area.
The miners are reportedly causing unnecessary fights and deaths in the area.
“Right now, there is an operation to clear off illegal miners,” said Matanhire.
Mazowe Mine is one of the oldest mines in Zimbabwe, and exploration and development in this region dates back to 1890, with over 1.4 million ounces of gold produced to date. Mazowe Mine comprises two underground operations, Mazowe and the BSV sections. The mine has a total of 247 claims over 2,939 hectares of landholding. Ore is processed in a single plant which consists of conventional crushing and milling and a carbon-in-leach facility.